ing to surprise enemies who had grown careless. But
they were met by a withering fire that drove them headlong to
cover again. Nevertheless they kept up the siege throughout all
the following day and night, firing incessantly from ambush, and
at times giving forth whoops full of taunt and menace. Dick was
able to sleep a little during the day, and gradually his nerves
became more steady. Albert also took a part in the defense, and,
like Dick, he won many friends.

The day was a long and heavy one. The fortified camp was filled
with the gloomiest apprehensions. The officers still refused to
believe all of Dick's story, that Custer and every man of his
command had perished at the hands of the Sioux. They were yet
hopeful that his eyes had deceived him, a thing which could
happen amid so much fire, and smoke, and excitement, and that
only a part of Custer's force had fallen. Yet neither Custer nor
any of his men returned; there was no sign of them anywhere, and
below the bluffs the Sioux gave forth taunting shouts and
flaunted terrible trophies.

Dick and Albert sat together about twilight before one of the
camp fires, and Dick's face showed that he shared the gloom of
those around him.

"What are you expecting, Dick?" asked Albert, who read his
countenance.

"Nothing in particular," replied Dick; "but I'm hoping that help
will come soon. I've heard from the men that General Gibbon is
out on the plain with a strong force, and we need him bad. We're
short of both water and food, and we'll soon be short of
ammunition. Custer fell, I think, because his ammunition gave
out, and if ours gives out the same thing will happen to us.
It's no use trying to conceal it."

"Then we'll pray for Gibbon," said Albert.

The second night passed like the first, to the accompaniment of
shouts and shots, the incessant sharpshooting of the Sioux, and
an occasional rush that was always driven back. But it was
terribly exhausting. The men were growing irritable and nervous
under such a siege, and the anxiety in the camp increased.

Dick, after a good sleep, was up early on the morning of the
second day, and, like others, he looked out over the plain in the
hope that he might see Gibbon coming. He looked all around the
circle of the horizon and saw only distant lodges in the valley
and Sioux warriors. But Dick had uncommonly good ears, trained
further by two years of wild life, and he heard something, a new
note in the c